The first Monday of this year was also the first day of the twelfth month on the traditional lunisolar calendar. As they do at the start of every lunar month and again on the fifteenth day countless people across Taiwan positioned circular braziers in front of their homes, and set about burning sheaves of joss paper.
The ritual burning of incense and joss paper (which English speakers sometimes call ghost money, spirit money or votive currency) is central to local religious and ancestor-worshipping traditions. Unfortunately, it has a noticeably detrimental effect on air quality, especially in urban areas.
Because some
Taipei, May 27 (CNA) A case in which an "eatery" owner from Keelung City in northern Taiwan and nine members of her family have contracted COVID-19, has raised concerns about family transmission of the disease.
The Liberty Times Editorial: ‘Wuhan’ anger exposes the KMT
During a Lunar New Year’s Day visit to Xingtian Temple in Taipei on Feb. 12, former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) told reporters that, in his opinion, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) should no longer refer to COVID-19 as the “Wuhan pneumonia” (“武漢肺炎”).
He also opined: “If China offers [Taiwan] a [COVID-19] vaccine, the government should not decline the offer out of hand.”
Members of Taiwan’s pan-green camp immediately gave Ma a verbal dressing down for his double standards and apparent tone deafness, given the hostile and intemperate language Chinese officials regularly employ toward Taiwan.
EDITORIAL: Ma playing politics with vaccines taipeitimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from taipeitimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.